Car-coupling



(NoModel.) A G. R. THOMPSON.

' GAR GOUPLING.

No. 488,588. y Patented Dec. 27.1892.

WI'TNEEEx-:E:

vention.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

GEORGE-R. THOMPSON, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent VNo. 488,586, datedDecember 27, 1892.

Application filed May 2. 1892. Serial No. 431,526. (No model.)

.of Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of whichthe following is a specification.

It is the object of my invention to provide improved means foruncoupling or unshackling cars without the necessity of going betweenthe cars, or of undergoing any of the dangers heretofore incident to thecoupling and uncoupling in the manipulation of the link-and-pin'andsimilar coupling devices.

My invention consists of the several im provements hereinafter describedand claimed, reference being had to the annexed drawings, and theletters marked thereon, forming apart of this specification, the sameletters designating the same parts or features, as the case may be,wherever they occur.

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of a draw-bar and buffershown as atiached to a car body constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2, is -a top plan view of two draw-bars coupled equippedwith my improvements. Fig. 3, is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 4,is ahorizontal sectional view of my invention. Fig. 5, is a similar viewshowing the two draw-heads coupled. Fig. 6, is a side elevation of myin- Fig. 7, is a perspective View of a link used in connection with myimprovements. Figs. 8, and 9, are sectional detail Views showing themanner of latching and unlatching the uncoupling means.

In the drawings: a designates the front of a car body with which adraw-bar or head b is connected in the usual way.

c is the buffer arranged to slide longitudinally in the draw-bar, aspringdsurrounding the buffer bar and'xacting at one end against acollar or bearing e fixed in the draw-bar and resting at its other endagainst a shoulder or odset f on the buer bar, serving to hold the buiernormally outward in the draw-bar. The drawhead b is provided with achamber f at one side of the bulfer c in which upon a vertical pin g ispivoted a link h, provided on its outer end with a vertical slot adaptedto receive the coupling pin j horizontally arranged in the oppositedrawhead. The drawhead is provided on the opposite side of the bufferwith a slot lo of such form as to receive therein the projecting end ofthe link h pivoted in the opposite drawhead. The coupling pinj passesthrough the drawhead from side to side, and is connected at its'outerend, as at Z with one end of alink m. the opposite end of which isrigidly attached to a rod n arranged to slide in suitable bearings obeneath the drawhead. The rod n extends out from opposite sides of thedrawhead to the sides of the car, and is provided on each end withsuitable handles p to adapt it and its attached coupling pin to bemanipulated without the necessity of going between the cars.

q is a spring surrounding the rod n and resting at one end against abearing o and at theother against collar r attached to the rod, andacting with a tendency to force the coupling-ping' inward through theslot fof the link h as will be understood by an inspection of thedrawings. The coupling pin j is reduced in that part which operates inthe link h and that part of the drawhead at the side of the buffer inwhich the Vertical slotf is constructed so as to form a shoulder s onthe said pin.

t is a gravity latch pivoted in the drawhead, and adapted when the carsare coupled or when the buffer is not out to its utmost limit and theAcoupling pin is Withdrawn from the position in which itis representedin Fig. 5 to that in which it is shown in Fig. 4, to fall behind theshoulder s and hold the said pin out said rod, as the case may be,against the stress of the spring q moving the coupling pin] back fromengagement with the link h and allowing the pivoted gravity latchf tofall behind the shoulder s of the coupling pin in which position the rodn may be left.. As soon as the cars separate, the buffer will be forcedoutward to its eXtreme limit, the pin u I slots 'L' and automaticallyeffect the coupling of the cars. The links 7L are arranged to swing upontheir pivot pins g to an extent sufficient to compensate for lack ofexact align ment of the draw-bars, and the coupling slot h issufficiently long to allow for all variation in the plane at whichdraw-heads of adjacent cars may stand.

It will be seen that with my invention `no necessity exists for, goingbetween the cars to couple and uncouple the same, and that uncouplingcan be accomplished from either side of the car With but asinglemovement of the hand.

No parts exist that can readily get out of order, while the invention isexceedingly simple in construction and operation.

Having thus described the nature of my in- Vention, and explained a Wayof constructing 3o and using the same, though Without attempting to setforth all. of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes ofits employment, I declare that What I claim is:-

l. A car coupling comprising in its construction, a drawhead providedWith a groove Za, alink h provided with the slot vlpivoted in thedrawhead, a coupling pin, a spring-pressed rod having bearings on thedrawhead and connected with the coupling-link, and a gravity latch tolock the pin back When Withdrawn by means of the rod against the stressof its spring, as described.

2. In a car coupling, the combination, With the drawhead, provided Withthe groove la, and having the link h pivoted therein, of the couplingpin Z provided with the shoulder s, the gravity latch adapted to engagethe said shoulder, and the spring-pressed rod n connected with thecoupling pin, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 6th day of April, A. D.1892.

GEORGE R. THOMPSON. Witnesses:

ARTHUR W. CRossLEY, C. F. BROWN.

